The Nation Newspaper

Tag: hails

  • Okorocha hails Owerre people over festival

    IMO State Governor Rochas Okorocha has praised the Owerre people for sustaining their yearly Oru-Owerre cultural festival.

    Okorocha, who spoke at the festival held at Ugwu Ekwema, Egbu road, Owerri, urged them to continue to preserve their cultural heritage.

    He noted that the state has a rich culture that could be harnessed and showcased to the outside world.

    Okorocha, who disclosed that he was attending the event for the first time, hailed the people for consolidating on the gains of the festival.

    The governor called on Imo people not to allow a bad leader to take over the state’s affairs in 2015.

    He said his coming into governance was to ensure the state’s transformation.

    Okorocha, who mentioned some of his achievements in the last three years, reiterated his commitment to ensuring that the state was better.

    The Deputy Governor, Prince Eze Madumere, praised the people for the peaceful way they organised the event.

    He described Oru-Owerre festival as a monumental activity, which is reverred by sons and daughters of Owerre.

    The traditional ruler of Owerre, Eze Emenyonu Emmanuel Njemanze, said the event was aimed at promoting peace and harmony as well as showcasing their rich culture.

    Eze Njemanze hailed the governor for his transformation programmes, which according to him, had given Owerri, the state capital, a new look.

    The President General of Owerri Community Assembly, Chief Felix Chidi Ngoka, said Oru-Owerre was a period for the celebration of peace and tranquility.

  • New Celtic boss hails Efe Ambrose

    New Celtic boss hails Efe Ambrose

    The new manager of Scottish club, Celtic, Ronny Deila has spoken about his admiration for Nigerian defender, Efe Ambrose.

    Deila, who replaced Neil Lennon, has talked up the qualities of the 25-year-old Nigerian centre half ahead of Celtic’s opening UEFA Champions League fixture next week.

    The former Molde trainer hinted that Ambrose could be thrown straight into the deep end when Celtic take on the Icelandic champions, KR Reykjavík.

    “Efe arrives back (from his summer holidays) on Sunday (July 13).

    “He is a quality player and we need all the quality we can get when it comes to the UEFA Champions League, although there is a chance for everyone to impress,” Deila was quoted as saying on the official Celtic website, celticfc.net.

    Ambrose joined Celtic on August 8, 2012 from Israeli club, Asdod and has since gone on to impress at the Glasgow club notching up five league goals in his first two seasons.

    Celtic’s game against KR Reykjavík on July 15 will be decided at the 3,333 capacity KR-Völlur.

  • Stoke boss hails Osaze

    Stoke boss hails Osaze

    Stoke City chairman  Peter Coates believes Osaze Odemwingie should be proud of his performance for Nigeria in the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.
    The 32-year-old represented the African Champions when Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi offered him a chance to return to international football, after a lengthy absence from the national team.
    Coates believes that Odemwingie who has hinted at international retirement distinguished himself.
    “I think he did his job competently enough,” Coates told The Sentinel, “but I’m not sure he was ever in a position to really catch the eye.
    “He did perfectly well and didn’t put a foot wrong in my opinion, but it was always going to be tough for his team to reach the last 16, and I think you have to get there to really start making an impression.”

  • Stoke boss hails Osaze

    Stoke boss hails Osaze

    Stoke City chairman Peter Coates believes Osaze Odemwingie should be proud of his performance for Nigeria in the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

    The 32-year-old represented the African Champions when Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi offered him a chance to return to international football, after a lengthy absence from the national team.

    Coates believes that Odemwingie who has hinted at international retirement distinguished himself.

    “I think he did his job competently enough,” Coates told The Sentinel, “but I’m not sure he was ever in a position to really catch the eye.

    “He did perfectly well and didn’t put a foot wrong in my opinion, but it was always going to be tough for his team to reach the last 16, and I think you have to get there to really start making an impression.”

  • Group hails new APC executive

    Group hails new APC executive

    A group, the New Lagos Movement, has congratulated the All Progressives Congress (APC), on the successful holding of its national convention and the emergence of new national executive.

    While condemning the concept of appointing a caretaker committee in the local councils, the group advised the national executive of the party to uphold the cardinal principle of existence of  democratically elected local government councils in all states as rigidly enshrined in the constitution .

    The group insisted that the policies of the party, as encapsulated in the APC Roadmap to a New Nigeria, must be fully implemented at all levels of government in any state controlled by the party..

    “Our leaders must understand that the consciousness of the masses cannot be substituted in a twinkle of an eye hence the need to implement friendly policies capable of galvanizing the people to appreciate our good governance strategy.  We must realize that we have nothing less than 215, 000 registered members in Ekiti, but unfortunately, our party polled less than its numerical strength in the election,” the group said.

  • Musa hails teammates after Rangers victory

    Musa hails teammates after Rangers victory

    El-Kanemi Warriors defender, Musa Musa, has praised the performance of his teammates who came from behind to pip Enugu Rangers in their rescheduled Glo Premier League tie on Saturday.

    The Warriors were just one place above the relegation zone and the victory has moved them up to 12th place on the log.

    Musa, who missed the game due to injury, told supersport.com he was delighted with the result.

    “I’m very proud of their performance as they responded very well after conceding an early goal,” Musa told supersport.com.

    “We had fallen down the table following our recent home draws against Dolphins and Enyimba, and had resolved to win the two straight home games that will conclude the first round fixtures to make up lost ground.

    “We have resolved to treat both games like cup finals.

    “We had beaten Kaduna United convincingly and are eagerly waiting for Rangers.

    “I have been out with a knee injury since our week 15 tie against Kano Pillars, and I’m at present in Kaduna.

    However, I monitored the game and I am happy with the way they fought back to win.

    “The players showed strong character. They have demonstrated their commitment to the club.”

    El-Kanemi Warriors ended the first round of the league with 26 points from 19 matches. The Maiduguri side finished in an impressive fourth position on their return to the Premier League last season.

  • Gombe United hails Keshi on Agbim

    Gombe United hails Keshi on Agbim

    GOMBE United has showered praises on Coach Stephen Keshi after naming Chigozie Agbim as his third choice goalkeeper for the World Cup in Brazil.

    The CHAN Eagles captain was subjected to various criticisms following his not impressive showing at the African Nations Championship in South Africa where Nigeria won bronze.

    Executive Chairman of the Gombe State Sports Commission, Farouk Yarma while speaking with SportingLife said: “Keshi has proved to us that he is a man of honour.

    “Despite the criticisms, he still went ahead to take the bull by the horn for naming Agbim in his final World Cup team that was submitted to FIFA.

    “This shows that our goalkeeper is not bad and cannot be judged because he was not in form during the African Nations Championship in South Africa.

    “Gombe United and it’s fans are indeed delighted, as Agbim’s inclusion, has proven to us that the CHAN Eagles captain is a good signing for the club.

    “And with the pressure off him now, I’m optimistic that when he returns from Brazil that his World Cup experience will go a long way in turning around the club’s fortunes.

    “Gombe United is solidly behind Agbim as we wish him and his Super Eagles mates the best in Brazil,” the former General Coordinator of the Savannah Scorpions said.

  • Gbajabiamila ‘hails’ Maku over protest comment

    Gbajabiamila ‘hails’ Maku over protest comment

    House of Representatives Minority Leader Femi Gbajabiamila has “hailed” the Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku, for admitting that about 90 per cent of the protesters against the abduction of the over 200 Chibok, Borno State schoolgirls are members of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The lawmaker noted that the minister statement drove home the fact that majority of Nigerians are in the APC.

    In a statement yesterday in Abuja by his Research Aide, Wasiu Olanrewaju-Smart, the lawmaker said: “Mr Maku, the Information Minister, is damn right!”

    The APC House Caucus Leader, in a satirical statement, praised Maku for doing a “good job” with the revelation.

    Gbajabiamila noted that the minister’s statement was a tactical admission of the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP’s) leadership failure and evidence that its Federal Government-led administration was losing the confidence of many Nigerians it has failed to protect.

    He said: “I am particularly chuffed that the PDP government has finally woken up to smell the coffee and has admitted that APC is a movement and that 90 per cent of Nigerians are APC because, as far as I know, that is the exact percentage of Nigerians who are criticising the government over the handling of the terror crisis.”

    The lawmaker urged the Federal Government to ensure proper handling of the escalating insecurity in the country.

    “Conscience is like an open wound and only the truth can heal it. Good job, Mr Maku,” Gbajabiamila added.

  • Amuneke hails Eaglets after 3-2 win against Egypt

    Amuneke hails Eaglets after 3-2 win against Egypt

    Coach Emmanuel Amuneke has nothing but praises for the Golden Eaglets following a brave 3-2 comeback win against Egypt in the first of their double header international friendly match against Egypt at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium in Kaduna yesterday.

    The visitors scored two first half goals through Mahmoud Mahbob and Walid Attid but were overhauled by Nigeria courtesy goals by SamuelChukwueze, Kelechi Nwakali and Sunday Alimi.

    ” Sincerely, I thank the players for their courage to win this match despite the fact that they conceded two early goals,” Amuneke said.

    Of course, there were errors because this was the first time we were playing on a natural pitch since we had long been training on artificial surface.

    “But overall, I praise them and we are going to work better for the next game on Friday,” he added.

    It was indeed a hard fought win for the Golden Eaglets as the Egyptians went into the lead just six minutes into the game following a loss of concentration at Nigeria’s end.

    Defender Anas Mohammed playing on the right full back, failed to clear a ball and allowed Egypt’s Mohammed Hamdy to float a ball for Mahbob to effortlessly guide the ball into the net. Five minutes later, the Eaglets were punished yet again in a similar circumstance when another ball was floated into the box for unmarked Walid Attid to nod the ball into an empty net beyond a badly positioned goalkeeper Amos Benjamin, But the Golden Eaglets fought back and in the 27th minute, Samuel Chukwueze pulled a goal back when he collected a through ball from Suleiman Abdullahi and ghosted past his marker before driving the ball beyond the reach of Egypt’s goalkeeper Mahmoud Gad.

    Chukwueze’s goal coincided with the arrival of Ambassador Nuhu Bajoga, Kaduna State’s Deputy Governor and other top government officials as the Golden Eaglets began their revival towards the end of the first half.

    Afterwards, Nigeria made  changes in the second stanza as Alimi Sunday came in for injured Nuru Umar as well as Ebere Osinachi for Suleiman Abdullahi and that would prove to be inspired changes as the Eaglets ceased the momentum. Egypt conceded a penalty after new comer Osinachi was fouled in the box and Nwakali scored the resultant kick in the 68th minute.  Sunday, a former National Under-13 player would cap his debut with the Golden Eaglets when he grabbed the winning goal in the 86th minute much to the delight of the impressive spectators at the stadium.

    The two teams would return to the same venue on Friday for the second match as they both continue their build up towards the 2015 CAN Under-17 qualifiers in July.

    Golden Eaglets versus Egypt

    B. Amos-B. Ayodeji, L.Halilu, K.Gbadamosi, A.Mohammed

    J.Ipalibo (H.Okebugwu), K.Nwakali, S.Abdullahi, N.Umar (T.Sunday),M.Chinedu (C.Eugene), S.Chukwueze

     

  • ICAN hails Odu’a Investment’s strategies

    The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), has hailed the investment strategies of Odu’a Investment Company Limited, especially on the newly opened shopping malls in Ibadan.

    Its President, Alh Kabir Alkali Mohammed gave the commendation yesterday after a working tour of the Heritage Mall and the Cocoa Mall, located at the Cocoa House Complex, Ibadan, Oyo State capital.

    Mohammed who is the 49th president of ICAN, led members of his executives to the  headquarters of Odu’a Investment Company located in Dugbe.

    He said the new malls have given Ibadan a facelift and also increased the number of people coming for shopping, thereby making the area a rich economic arena for investment.

    He said:“We have come, we have seen and we are surprised with the level of transformation in this company. We are not expecting this type of edifice in Ibadan, but in Lagos or Abuja. You have changed the face of Ibadan and this is why some residents of neighbouring states are moving down here.”

    He promised ICAN’s professional support for further transformation of the firm.

    Group Managing Director the firm, Chief Adebayo Jimoh thanked ICAN executives for providing a robust platform for training highly skilled personnel.

    Jimoh said:”We have more accountants than engineers here, which shows you the level of training and human capacity building we are giving to our workers. We record more chartered accountants over there and attach more incentives to them.”